


In the air, on land and sea

by TheSkyrimLife



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/F, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Smut, US Marines, god dammit these fucking gays got me writing again :/, naughty dog is TEARING money from the pockets of the homosexuals, no fucking burn lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-02-22 22:43:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23834905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSkyrimLife/pseuds/TheSkyrimLife
Summary: She might leave this planet from a knife or a gun or a bomb, but the only thing that'll really kill her is Dina.(Don't worry, this doesn't have any spoilers from leaks or the finished game! And I'm serious, because I am no asshole.)
Relationships: Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 120





	1. before

Ellie recognizes her. She knows her hair and her laugh and her smile the second she shows up for their first day of training.

It's not her fault, it really isn't. Dina Abadi was the most obnoxious theatre nerd who was the show-stopper of the school play every year. Her denim jacket always looked amazing on her, and so did her confidence. The "Braydens" and "Jaydens" would constantly pick on her for her sense of style, her personality, her _everything_. And she never batted an eye. Dina's comebacks always made Ellie smile from her small corner of the cafeteria. The only people who sit there were her and Jesse, who's the nephew of one of Joel's only friends. They would mountain bike together on the weekends, while Joel and Jesse's uncle would have a beer and talk about hunting.

However, Jesse isn't here now. He's back in Seattle, probably studying away at UW. Ellie's here, though, right this second, and a very fit man with the head of Dr. Phil is shouting in her face.

"WILLIAMS! I said, 'Why aren't you moving?'!" His breath smells like bad coffee, and flecks of his spit are landing on her nose. She dares to wipe it away, which results in ten extra push-ups for the entire group. They aren't pleased.

While she's sweating it out on fake grass, she sneaks a glance at Dina, who's smiling a little bit.

The work is hard, but not very much so. Ellie's had to handle worse. She does what she's told, with tiny hints of rebellion, because _nobody_ tells her what to do, at least not completely. She writes to Joel, in letters, because his dumb ass can't seem to know how phones work. He says that he's doing fine, and then talks about his construction company for the rest of the letter. Ellie doesn't really pay attention to that part, but certainly notices his _Love, Joel_ at the end.

God, he really does miss her.

Dina is the only real highlight. She rolls her eyes at the commanders, throws the god awful food against the ceiling and giggles when the so-called mashed potatoes splatter (even Ellie has to chuckle a little at that). They find a den of baby mice and she names all of them after _Parks and Recreation_ characters. Ellie actually speaks to her for the first time right then, telling her that if she touches them, it leaves scent, and the mother might abandon them.

All of her teeth show in the following gesture, and Dina says, "Thanks for letting me know, Ellie."

Ellie hasn't ever told Dina her name.

About a month later, Ellie was sitting in the mess hall. Alone. Again. She has her copy of 1984, but George Orwell's words just seem boring today.

What isn't boring is Dina. God, her face looks so pretty, and, well, to be _perfectly_ honest, so do her boobs. Ellie never really understood why breasts were so special when she was like, eight, flipping through her uncle's porno mags while he was high with his friends. They just looked like big lumps. 

Now, she's like a dirty politician, almost drooling from across the room.

She might leave this planet from an knife or a gun or a bomb, but the only thing that'll really kill her is Dina.

It's on the day of their final entry tests when Dina kisses her.

They're the only ones left in the barracks, and Dina is there just in her bra and the bottom half of her fatigues. Ellie can hear the commanders yelling outside, but she wants to say something, _anything_ to Dina before whatever comes next.

Ellie has Joel's big ass knife out and she's scratching her back. Dina's on her tiny cot, looking at her, intrigued.

She pretends not to notice her stalker, until she doesn't see her. Dina is gone.

Ellie just about screams when she feels a hand on the back of her head. "Your hair is out of form."

A shaky, disturbed laugh is all that escapes Ellie's throat. "Uh, okay?"

Since Dina is behind her, she isn't visible, but she can feel her sit down on the bed by the way it sags with her weight, letting out a whine as the springs bend.. These barracks definitely haven't gotten any new furniture since 1978. "Here, let me put it up for you."

Soft, gentle hands with slender fingers delicately card through her hair. Ellie's hand is shaking as she hands Dina the black hairtie. It feels so good. She hasn't felt anything like this, ever. Not in her whole life. Her body feels lukewarm and burning at the same time. The palms of her hands are clammy and trembling a bit. She can't help but lean back into the touch.

"I-I really like you. Like a lot."

Dina leans forward and seals her lips just behind Ellie's ear. She gasps, then clamps her hand over her mouth in hope that nobody will hear.

Why the ever loving _fuck_ did she say that? What the hell was she thinking? She sounded like "Y/N" from a Harry Styles Wattpad fanfiction-

The pad of a small thumb traces her cheek, and she freezes.

"Yeah, Ellie, no fucking shit."

And then all she can feel is _warmth_.

They passed the tests. All of them. And were lucky enough to be placed in the same unit. They're given the deployment notification just a week after training's done, and they're back in Seattle.

Forty-three days.

That's all they have left in this _before_.

They'll be together, sure, but halfway across the world.

Joel seems to take it well, but he comes into her room crying one night and she has to assure him she'll write and text him on his new phone.

Her and Dina spend a lot of the little time together. They won't be able to have Amazing Sex in Syria, they won't even be able to kiss or hold hands or hug for extended periods of time.

It's one of these sessions, just a week before they're supposed to ship out. They've just finished some Amazing Sex and they're just kind of laying there, Ellie with her face on Dina's shoulder, and Dina with a hand in Ellie's hair.

The bottom **(yes, you know who i'm talking about)** decides to say something, and it catches Dina by surprise. "Why are you even going into the Marines?"

It's a complicated question, and she knows she'll have to answer that sooner than later. "So that my parents'll pay for theatre school."

Ellie rolls over and starts to pick at her fingernail. "Well, that's bullshit."

Dina laughs and then starts to cry a little. "They're both Israeli. You're required to serve there, and they think that I'd be a fucking pussy or some shit if I don't too." Calloused fingers are gently drying her tears and she tries really hard not to just cry harder at that. "I just don't want to fucking die, is that enough for them?"

"It shouldn't be," Ellie says. "They're fucking blackmailing you. They know how bad you wanna go." She leans over to drink from her water bottle, and Dina begins to kiss her toned shoulders.

With her eyes wet and her mind exhausted, she asks, "Why are you so fucking good to me, El?"

Ellie smiles and leans back, touching her lips to Dina's tenderly. It's unusual for Ellie to be so gentle, that's Dina's job. So, of course, her tongue slithers like a viper into Ellie's mouth, and she lets out a strangled moan. "You already wanna go again?"

"Gotta build up my tolerance for serving the cishet white men."

"Amen."

Joel's sure glad he's invested in some earplugs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'd love to say that i finished this in one night while drinking red bulls or coffee, but it took me over a month. three chapters planned, hopefully they aren't as shitty as this first one. comment to let me know that ya'll exist
> 
> i'm moderating these comments so nobody posts spoilers. you can tell me to say "i'm a little fat girl" and i'll still let it through, because you have a right to criticism. but if ya'll spill tea we want to play for ourselves, bitch wtf. i won't approve it.


	2. service

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellie and Dina are deployed to Iraq.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There is a rape mention in this story now. It details the forcing upon and intrusion of an underage girl, and a flashback that Ellie has. If this upsets or "triggers" you, please skip when you see the bolded text. You should be able to resume the story worry-free after a point when you see more text in bold.  
> On that note, please enjoy the chapter.

Ellie is silent for the majority of the plane ride, and so is Dina. Their hard cases of personal belongings are stowed in the cargo hold, but they each have their Marines-issued backpacks. They don't have anything to do besides look out the window or finish filing taxes. They had the freedom to choose their seats, thankfully, which is a lifesaver. They wanted to be seated next to each other, because although they would be at the same base, Ellie was the only one in active combat. Basically, they wouldn't be together very much.

Dina was assigned as a civilian interpreter due to her skills with Arabic, and Ellie's so fucking thankful she doesn't have to worry about her getting blown up by an RPG. Basically, she's supposed to talk to vulnerable populations to offer aid and get information. None of the stupid fucking white boys can speak anything besides English, so she's useful.

Of course, it wasn't easy for her to get the position. She was of foreign birth, and although an American citizen, she lived in Israel until she was three. The old white guy wanted to put her in the offices, and Dina returned to Ellie and Joel's house with smoke coming out of her ears. "Can you fucking _believe_ white people?"

Joel didn't even look up, just kept eating his cereal and watching _Pawn Stars_. Ellie shook her head. "Not really. What the fuck happened?"

Her car keys had sailed across the room in a graceful arc and landed less gracefully with a _clank_ on the table. "That goddamn stupid, obese, and overall asshole interviewer thinks I'm a fucking terrorist. My parents are Israeli, and they have no terroristic intentions. Yes, they're Muslim, but to judge them on that is bullshit! My mother was raised fucking Jewish! Dina is a fucking Hebrew name! I just learned more Arabic because my shitfaced misogynistic father made my mother convert. I don't believe in any fucking religion, I'm a fucking atheist. There's nothing wrong with Islam, of course, I just don't believe in it. Y'know, it might've been for the better, because my maternal grandparents were big-ass fucking Hasidic Jewish. They would've married her off to some pervy dude without a second thought! What, do they want me to die? I could fucking help them better at the base, I barely passed the physical test. Fuck everything! Fuck this!" Dina plopped down on the couch next to Ellie and buried her face in her shirt. It was a red flannel from Value Village, and Ellie knew Dina was breathing hard and inhaling the scent. Joel would never admit it, but he spent the extra money on nice, fragrant detergent.

The singular heterosexual in the room had since finished his bowl of Cap'n Crunch, and was heading to the dishwasher. He gently patted Dina on the shoulder, the most amount of affection he'd given anybody besides Ellie or Sarah.

She got the notification on her assignment two days later. Joel was just fucking glad he wouldn't be pressured to hug her anymore.

They were currently crossing the Atlantic Ocean. They'd been warned that the travel would be around forty-eight hours of little sleep on shitty planes with shitty seating. They'd met with one of Joel's friends, Bill, who was an ex-Marine himself. Sure, he was a paranoid sonofabitch who lived in the middle of the woods, but he also happened to meet his former partner in the corps, which was a similar situation. Of course, this had been in the middle of the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, so they'd had to be extra careful. In a profanity-laden speech, he said that the most they could do was hold hands infrequently. At least, what they could do in front of commanders. He told them to "Find a fuckin' 'Bang shed'," which meant an abandoned or rarely used outbuilding where they could their rocks off. "Sure, ours was shitty, but Frank had a nice fuckin' dick. Really cheered the place up, lemme tell you."

They'd had marathon Amazing Sex about twenty-four hours before they got on the first plane, because they knew that it'd be a while in between, even before they'd talked to Bill. It was, as per usual, amazing, but it was more bittersweet than pleasurable. They didn't know if they'd be coming home in a coffin or not.

Ellie tried not to think about that, and instead attempted to take a nap. She didn't succeed.

Once they'd arrived, it was two weeks of drilling and classes on "What to do in situation X, Y, or Z,". They stayed in sweaty barracks and got yelled at daily. About. Everything.

"IS THIS YOUR BED?" They would scream, and you had to respond with a similar, slightly lesser tone, but also not challenge them. It was difficult. For example, on Ellie's second day, she got asked where her cap was.

"WHERE IS YOUR GODDAMN CAP, PRIVATE?" Ellie, of course, had misplaced it, which was just her luck. And she was having a bad day, in a bad mood. One of the guys in her unit had tried to grab her ass, and thus she had pinned her combat knife against his neck, which provided temporary relief, and it was nice to see "Brad" tremble, but she was still shaken up.

"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW, SIR!" Her face then collided with the wall for two reasons; tone and eye contact, which you apparently weren't supposed to make. That was fine with her, of course, she hated looking people in the eyes throughout her youth, but she had learned to stare into souls when she was a kid, and now that was something she was supposed to forget.

That wasn't the lone problem, of course. There were only ten other women at their whole base, and that was...interesting. Ellie adapted to the form of extreme masculinity pretty well. She'd always been a loner, but of the few friends she'd had, most of them had been guys, so she knew the drill. They're gonna punch shit, they're gonna throw shit, and they're gonna joke about shit, literally. She stayed out of their way, because she knew that she might snap and break a nose or a finger. Joel had taught her how to use pressure points to her advantage, make somebody really scream.

Dina, however, was sort of thriving. She'd already begun to interview some displaced civilians, and every time she came back to see Ellie at the mess hall, her smile could split her face. She'd tell stories about the little kids, how sad they'd been when they walked in, and how their faces lit up when she began to speak to them in a familiar tongue. "Almar'at alraqiqa," they'd call her. _The kind woman_. And Ellie agreed. Dina _was_ kind. The kindest person she'd ever met.

However, the key phrase, "sort of". One night, she managed to get a note to Ellie through a medic at the base, John. He was gay himself, and they jokingly referred to him as a "homiesexual". That evening, however, he looked grim. The note was scrawled on a scrap of paper in Dina's neat handwriting.

_Meet me at the bang shed, please. I need you. -Dina_

Ellie immediately strapped on her boots and headed out to a storage building, their "Bang shed". She was worried, of course, because Dina had been fine, happy even, just yesterday. Therefore, her concern was heightened.

The paint on the outside was peeling, and particulates of sand dappled the sides. However, it was a place where they could fuck or talk, and that was all that really mattered.

She swung open the metal door to see Dina with her head in her hands. Small, pained sobs were escaping her, and Ellie gently knocked on the wall. She didn't want to scare her. Dina jumped a bit, but patted a spot on the crate next to her.

Ellie sat down, trying not to ruffle her freshly ironed [cammie](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Unif703.jpg). Her arm found its way around Dina's shoulder, and she laid a soft kiss on her head. "You alright?"

Dina looked up with red-rimmed eyes. "It's Kais."

She'd heard about Kais many times. She was one of Dina's favorites, and she frequently got passes into the refugee camp just to go see him and his uncle. His favorite candy was caramel M&M's, and Dina bought them at the commissary for him. Poor kid had been struck by a bomb on his way home, and was horribly disfigured. Ellie had never met Kais but had seen pictures. His legs, arms, head, and eyes had been burned by the explosion of a nearby gasoline barrel. His left hand only had small, stubby fingers. It made her hate for this fucking war increase drastically. "What about him?"

"His uncle said that his father died last year."

"But doesn't he talk about his dad, like, all the time? And in the present tense?"

Dina's lip began to quiver again. "That's the thing. When he was injured, he lost some of his memory too. He-" A swallow. "He forgot that his father died, El. He doesn't know, and his uncle doesn't want to tell him because he thinks he might kill himself."

Ellie didn't say anything. She just held Dina tighter. "His father was a mechanic. He loves cars." She began to cry again. Ellie did too. She cried for the first time in years.

The next day, she wrote Joel a letter and asked for a favor. The package came two weeks later, right before her first operation. With Dina's Arabic help, she wrote a small note.

_سمعت أنك تحب السيارات. انا احبهم ايضا. -إيلي_

_I heard you like cars. I like them too. -Ellie_

Dina sent her a picture the next time she visited. It was a beaming Kais, holding a model kit for a blue Ford Mustang, all parts included.

It helped lift her spirits before she went for a swim in the shit.

Ellie's mission was to storm a small ISIS compound in a house on the outskirts of Kirkuk, a city north of Baghdad, and not very far from the Iranian border. Walking through the streets, it all looked fairly normal. Kids playing, people buying stuff from small corner stores. It was peaceful, and it didn't look like the many documentaries Ellie had watched on Netflix, with mountains of rubble and masked men with guns. Of course, that whole situation had been over a decade ago, and people had rebuilt. Some of the kids looked dirty, but poverty was everywhere. Ellie didn't like it, but it was the sad truth.

This sector of ISIS had organized a suicide bombing a month back, and Ellie's team leader, Corporal Warner, was dead set on taking them out. Corporal Warner was buff and in his early thirties, with a shiny bald head and steel eyes. He was a hard-ass, but she could've been assigned worse.

As they rode in their [IFAV](https://olive-drab.com/images/usmc_mbz_ifav_02_700.jpg), observing the night streets, Ellie began to think about this whole situation. She wasn't stupid and knew that there was a chance she wasn't going to come out of here alive. She wasn't even supposed to go on a mission yet. The Master Sergeant saw her doing a Jiu-Jitsu training exercise, and had her rapidly promoted to Private First Class. He wanted her to serve as a stealth asset, sneaking into the house and taking down guards with a silenced pistol, and if things went haywire, hand-to-hand combat.

However, she'd signed off her right to protest on a paper just two months out of high school. She was going in whether she liked it or not.

Ellie was the only girl in her four-person fire team, and the energy in that vehicle was very awkward. Warner was in the front with their driver, and she sat on a bench in the back with Morris, Daniels, and Trevor. Morris and Trevor were fine, but Daniels was an asshole. He'd constantly brag about how many girls he'd banged in high school. Ellie thought it was pretty funny that he'd talk about it so freely in front of guys, but now that she was here, he was so meek. She knew he was a pussy, and wouldn't count on him to drag her to safety if she was shot. She'd stick close to Morris.

When they arrived three blocks from the house, it was dark outside. They knew they'd have to take the building by stealth, civilian deaths or hostages could cause big problems. They got a big pep talk from Warner in the back of the car, and replied with a very quiet "oorah".

Morris and Ellie went around to the back of the crumbling stone house. Gently, Morris pushed open a back door, just enough that it would crack. They both cringed at the slight creaking. Ellie peeked around the side to make sure there weren't any immediate threats. She didn't see any. They entered with their weapons drawn, sweeping the barrels back and forth. Morris motioned for Ellie to listen. She could hear people talking upstairs. Ellie leaned into her radio and told them to move in. Daniels stayed outside, gun drawn towards the front, and Morris stayed in the back. Ellie, Trevor, and Warner were supposed to go upstairs. With her [M16](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/SCRange20034344940.jpg/1280px-SCRange20034344940.jpg) drawn, she approached the doorway.

Inside, there were several men, Ellie counted six. They all seemed to be huddled around a map of some sort on the floor. The ringleader appeared to be the eldest, with a big, flowing beard. He had a stick, and was pointing at locations with it. They were all speaking in rapid, enthusiastic tones, and Ellie couldn't understand a word of it. She could see large crates of ammunition and explosives in the corner. They clearly had the potential to destroy the entire block, so they'd have to take things quietly. Just the four of them, no reinforcements.

Warner charged in, training his weapon on the bearded guy. Ellie and Trevor followed, their arms pointed at two randomly selected militants. " _Qaf!_ " Warner shouted. " _Kunt alaistislam!_ ". His accent was horrible, but it was all they had.

One tried to make a run for it, jumping out the window. A gunshot rang out. The terror on the faces of the militants increased, and trembling hands slowly ascended to the ceiling.

That is, all except for one. Their leader began to reach for something, a button sort of contraption next to him. It had a wire connecting it to the explosives. The look on his face was sickeningly peaceful, and so out of place. His thumb began to assume the position, and he _smiled_.

A shot rang out.

The next six months were a whirlwind. Ellie was sent out on another seven missions. They were all almost identical to her first. She'd enter with Warner, they'd take out some targets, and then call in trucks to remove whatever weapons or other supplies were being held there.

She killed two more people. One was a kid around her age, who was about to fire at some civilians. Ellie knew she couldn't let him do that, and took him out with a shot to the head. She tried to tell herself that at least she'd made it quick, and there were innocent lives at stake.

Her most recent, however, she didn't feel so sorry for. She'd been out on some patrols with Dina, who was trying to get information out of the locals on the location of a base. Dina had been in the middle of a conversation with an old lady, drinking some tea. Some kid had run out and tugged on Ellie's sleeve, saying something in rapid-fire Arabic. Dina translated for her, explaining that somebody had broken into his house, and that his sister was still in there.

Of course, this technically wasn't their mission, but Ellie didn't care. The little boy seemed in genuine distress, and he wouldn't even go inside with her. Ellie gestured for him to stay and drew her gun.

Entering, she could hear movement upstairs, and what sounded like whimpering. Bad vibes galore.

The layout, thankfully, made it easy for her to peek around a doorway, although she then kind of wished she hadn't.

**UNDERAGE NON-CONSENSUAL CONTENT STARTS**

A girl, not more than fourteen years old, was pressed up against the wall. Tears were streaming down her face as she was violated by a large, middle-aged man. He was plunging in and out of her, and Ellie felt bile rise in her throat.

She aimed and fired. The girl screamed, throwing her hands over her face as blood splattered the wall and her torn dress. As Ellie carried her out of the building, shaking and crying, she wouldn't stop thanking her in heavily accented English.

Ellie cried that night, sobbing uncontrollably as Dina held her close. She wasn't crying for the bastard she shot, but for the child he'd hurt. Ellie knew how it felt. At just that girl's age, she'd been taken into the bathroom by a guy who shot smack with her uncle. David hadn't given any regard to her screams, just shoved his hand over her mouth until she'd passed out from the pain and shock. Of course, her uncle hadn't believed her. He called her a lying, ungrateful brat, and handed her over to the state.

That scar had just begun to fade. Then, the knife of this _fucking war_ sliced it back open.

**UNDERAGE NON-CONSENSUAL CONTENT ENDS**

A new mission had been assigned to her. It was actually different than the others, thankfully. Seven fire teams were supposed to storm a large compound in the middle of the fucking desert, which was great for Ellie's already incredibly dry skin.

They'd pulled up with tanks half a mile away, firing shells at the main part of the structure. Then, Warner herded them all into a big truck, where they drove at top speed to the front. All of them jumped out of the truck and headed inside, firing upon everyone they saw.

Ellie counted four dead, because of her, as she cut through the concrete building. The stink of blood was foul, and the dead eyes seemed to stare at her.

She did not have time to dwell on it and continued through.

The back room where the leader was seemed much too empty. Ellie trusted her gut and called in the rest of the squad. They shuffled in, their eyes darting about the open area.

A thumping noise sounded from the ceiling. Somebody was up there. Her hand went up, gesturing to hold position.

Toward the back of the room, there was a ladder. It went up to a hole, presumably leading to the roof. She made the rest of them stay there, as she didn't want extra distractions.

Ellie's head barely peeked out from the trapdoor. She counted fourteen hostiles before descending.

"Get out. I'm going to throw a grenade up there. I don't want this place collapsing on you." Her comrades scurried away like rats, and ten months ago, she probably would've laughed.

Very quietly, she removed a frag from her vest. Once again, she scaled the ladder. They all seemed to be congregated around a machine gun fifteen yards out.

Ellie pulled the pin and let it roll.

_One, two, three, four, five-_

An explosion caused the whole building to shake. Chunks of concrete rained down upon her. Frantic yelling could be heard. She ducked behind a crate that was surprisingly intact. There was a small hole that she looked through, where she saw one guy with the MG trained on her location. _Shit_.

She had a small window of time before he realized she was there.

In a spur-of-the-moment action, her rifle whipped up. She took less than a second to train it on the bastard's face.

When she pulled the trigger, however, he did the same. Six of his bullets ripped through Ellie's arm. Only one of hers went into his head.

She slumped down, dropping her gun to hold her arm. It was bleeding bad, and she knew that she had only two minutes tops before she'd pass out. She'd never felt so much pain.

No attempt was made to climb down the ladder. She just jumped through the hole. The ceiling was only eight feet tall, though, so falling on her ass didn't hurt that much.

Ellie dragged herself through the building. She didn't bother counting how many were dead. One dying fucker tried to reach for his gun, she gave him some lead head.

The outside smelled like smoke. Clumsily, her good arm took one of the headscarves off of a dead militant and began to wrap it around her wound. Ellie bit her lip and tried not to scream because _God_ was it painful.

Her vision began to blur. She could see people running towards her, without their guns drawn. A buggy followed them, with the symbol of the medics on the side. She could make out John, and he was yelling something at her.

Ellie laid down in the sand and closed her eyes.

Dreams filled her head. They were confusing. In most of them, she was flying, high above the ground, which wasn't good, since she _hated_ heights. She'd scream for Joel, for Dina, for anybody, but she'd just keep flying. Then, she'd fall, fast and hard, and everything would be black for a while.

Eventually, Ellie woke up to see doctors crowded around her, and her arm in a massive plaster cast, with multiple pins sticking out. She already didn't like this place. It was too clean and white. She began to try and rip out her IV, to get free and get to Dina.

A nurse, of course, had fucking noticed, and quickly injected her with something that made her go back to sleep.

Those dreams were clearer, and not as freaky. She saw forests full of ferns, and Dina was there. They walked through the woods, and watched raindrops patter against leaves. Dina would give her arm, her bad arm, little kisses, and smile. Ellie smiled too.

The second time she came to, Dina, thank fuck, was there, holding her hand.

Ellie didn't say anything for a while. She just looked at Dina. Her hair was out of its bun, falling in her face. That certainly wasn't uniform, but she wasn't supposed to be here anyway. She must've fought the commanders like hell to stay with her. Ellie appreciated her efforts.

"What's popping?"

Dina whipped around, her hair slapping her in the face. Her cute fucking mouth curved up into the best grin she'd ever seen. Tears filled her eyes, and she kissed Ellie's good hand.

She hadn't left her. She'd stayed right there. And as far as Ellie was concerned, that was more than enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gods, this took me FOREVER to write because I wanted to make it perfect. A few notes for all of you:  
> My choice to include mentions of rape was long and thought out. I wanted to write a fan-work about lesbians, but also raise awareness about the crimes of radicalized Islamic militants. They often take wives at a young age and force them into slavery. It's disgusting and despicable.  
> A "cammie" is a shorter and easier way to refer to the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform, or the fatigues of the US Marines.  
> Some of this information is probably incorrect, and I'm sorry. I did hours of extensive research on the war, weapons used, life in the Corps, and many other topics. If you notice something incorrect, please, don't hesitate to let me know, and I'll fix it.  
> Lastly, comment moderation is still on. I'll allow any comments, literally, anything. You could compare me to Kaitlin Bennett and I'd allow it. However, leak details are unacceptable. I'm excited for this game, and I know many others are too, so I'll be damned if you ruin it for my readers.  
> Thank you so much for bearing with me, please continue to leave comments and kudos, they make my day so much better.  
> Sincerely, a very appreciative and exhausted bisexual who is trying his best.
> 
> Hey, sorry I forgot to add this before, but the little boy, Kais, is based on a real Syrian child in a documentary I watched on Netflix, called "Born in Syria". It's really good, and the majority of Kais's story that I told here is true.


	3. home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellie is discharged and waits for Dina to come home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some smut in here for my horny fuckers. It's my first time writing any, so please, be courteous.

Ellie had been home for one week.

One week since she'd been handed a [Purple Heart](https://images05.military.com/sites/default/files/2018-08/purple-heart-medal-3200.jpg) and thanked for her service. She hadn't said much, just "thank you" and a respectful nod.

One week since she'd packed up her things and hugged John hard enough that her bad arm felt like it was going to fall off again, even though it was still in a plaster cast.

One week since she'd boarded a military plane and kissed Dina so furiously that their teeth banged and clacked together in front of the whole force saluting her. She could taste their discomfort and it was fucking hilarious, but she didn't laugh.

Now, she was just sitting on the couch at Joel's place, trying to jump at every sound. He'd been trying to get her a psychiatrist, but she didn't want to leave the house yet. Most days, he'd go to work, come home, and sit with her while she stared into the distance, hollowed.

Ellie was due for her cast off in a month, but until then, she couldn't do fucking shit. Of course, the arm that the fucker hit was her right, and she couldn't text or type or do anything.

She missed Dina like hell. She wanted her to just be here with her, but she had another eight weeks of deployment. Ellie didn't think she could live that long.

Three weeks since Ellie had returned.

She'd started going on walks with Joel. At first, she insisted that he carry a gun on him, but he wouldn't. For a good while, she refused to go. Finally, she caved, and they began to stroll down the dirt roads of the mountain four days a week.

It truly was a nice change of pace. Before, she'd busted out an old N64 and set to playing all of the old Mario games, which was fun, but boring. She'd tried to boot up Fallout 4, which was a bad idea, because she instinctively reached for her concealed carry pistol (that wasn't there) when she heard a gunshot.

There weren't guns in the woods. There were other sounds, but nothing resembling guns. Ellie liked the birds' singing and the gentle trickling of small streams. Gentle footfalls made leaves crunch

Joel liked to take a new trail each day, which meant they ran out of places on the mountain real quick. Therefore, they'd pile into Joel's shitty Tacoma and drive somewhere else to hike.

It was one of those days, when they were coming back from a "waterfall walk" and making peaceful conversation. Ellie had been getting better at talking, which was good. Her therapist, Ashley, had told her that speaking about things unrelated was a step closer to speaking about things that happened to her in Iraq.

Ellie was telling Joel about something some popular girl from her high school had posted. "Oh my god, Joel, it was such fucking bullshit! 'Take me back', and then a ton of sun emojis. I fucking hate this generation, none of them know how to use proper words, they communicate with tiny fucking cartoonSTOP THE FUCKING CAR!"

Joel slammed on the brakes, thankful that they were on a road in the middle of nowhere with nobody behind them. His brow furrowed anyways. "What the hell, Ellie?"

She was shaking, clutching the "oh shit handle" with all of her strength. "It could be an IED," she said. "That box."

There was a milk crate on the side of the road, one with a threadbare blanket sticking out. It was certainly not a bomb. Joel sighed. "It's not an IED. Nobody would put an IED on the side of the road in Snoqualmie." Her trembling didn't stop. "Here, I'll go check it out."

Ellie grabbed his arm so hard it hurt. "NO."

Then, the box toppled over. She screamed.

Something that was [not an IED](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/s2BQLAyzPx4/maxresdefault.jpg) rolled out. It had furry ears, a snout splashed with white, and large paws a few sizes too big.

Joel looked at Ellie. Ellie looked at Joel. "See, not a bomb."

Ellie had been here four weeks now.

Dodger, as they named him, was small, destructive, and a beam of sunshine. He chewed everything. All but one of their TV remotes had duct tape on the end where he'd gnawed on the plastic. Joel's favorite pair of boots now sported fashionable little teeth marks. Ellie was surprised he didn't flip out and drop kick the dog out the door. He'd just sighed, picked him up, and said, "What're we gonna do with you, huh fella?"

His ears were insanely soft, and Ellie would lie in bed with him nestled in her arms, stroking them. Dodger would make a contented noise and snuggle in closer. He loved her so much, and it made life better.

Plus, Dina had been permitted to have a video call with Ellie at base. She was so happy when she found out that she almost woke Joel up from his nap (her excited jumping did anyways).

And that's where she was now. Sitting in front of her laptop on the coffee table, Dodger relentlessly nibbling at her ear. She hadn't told Dina about her new friend, she wanted to surprise her.

The call tuned in, and she saw Dina's face. Her smile almost broke her cheeks, and she laughed.

A loud gasp came from Dina, and she squealed. "Oh my GOD Ellie! You got a fucking puppy?"

Truth be told, she was a little disappointed that the excitement wasn't for her, but was happy to inform Dina of the whole shebang. She listened intently, making exaggerated facial expressions at every part of the story. They almost went over their one-hour limit, when the call would automatically hang up.

Both were close to shedding tears as they each clicked the red button on their screens. "I miss you so fucking much, Di."

Dina smiled sadly, sniffling. "Me too, El. I love you."

"Love you too."

Six weeks had passed.

Ellie was beginning to drive again. Joel had kept her old Ford Ranger safe while she was deployed, but she hadn't gotten behind the wheel, knowing that she would swerve off the road at the sight of something as minuscule as a plastic bag.

They'd started at Tommy's place, a big, open farm with long dirt roads surrounding it. Joel would be in the driver's seat, ready to take over if anything were to happen.

Luckily, they'd only had two incidents. Ellie had seen a styrofoam cup drift across the gravel like a tumbleweed, and swerved before Joel could take the wheel, almost sending them into the ditch. Another when some dumb teenager was holding his phone in his car and she'd thought it was a remote detonator.

Now, though, she could get in her truck and go pretty much anywhere, except the highway. She hadn't tried that yet.

She was currently driving to a garage to apply for a job. Henry, one of the guys at her VA support group owned it, and said he'd be happy to hire her, she just had to come in and fill out the paperwork.

Dodger came with her, resting his paw on her arm as she drove.

Pulling into the parking lot, she clipped on his leash, telling him to "be good or else I'm putting you up for adoption".

Henry's garage was a long building with three big garage doors, each opening up to a spot where somebody's car would be worked on. Two of them were currently in use, containing a Honda Civic and Kia Sportage, respectively.

"Ellie!" Henry began jogging toward her, dressed in a grease-stained tank top and cargo shorts. "How are you doing?"

She scratched her head, trying to remember social cues. "Good?" Ellie hated how it sounded like a fucking question.

Thankfully, he didn't seem to mind. "C'mon, I just need you to flip through some forms. Then, I was wondering if you could change my grandma's oil?"

Ellie nodded, and was led into Henry's small office, Dodger in tow. With a chewed-up Bic, she scratched out various answers to various inquiries. Henry asked if she wanted some coffee or anything, but she politely declined. Coffee had never been her jam, but Dina loved the stuff.

When she was finished, Henry's brother, Sam, who had a summer job doing paperwork, reviewed her responses. He was kind of shy, she could tell, and only focused on the paper and Dodger, who'd climbed into his lap. He put her application in a very organized file drawer under the desk and nodded in approval. "You're good to go. Just pick up the keys on Henry's tool chest, pull into the empty slot on the end, and get to work. Grandma's car is the Oldsmobile in the back. Use any of the tools you need."

She thanked him and tied up Dodger with a bowl of water by the office. The keys were where Sam said, and she brought it around.

The car was a real fucking clunker, but Ellie managed to finish in less than two hours. She was no bragger, but it was obvious that Henry was impressed.

As she got into her car, Sam gave her an old receipt with her hours on the back. They were pretty good, she had to admit, Monday to Friday, 9:00-6:00, with weekends off.

Sam scratched Dodger's ears one last time before she pulled away. "They're soft," he said, almost as if he'd never pet a dog before.

Ellie smiled. "He's a good boy."

The baggage claim wasn't very busy that day. Besides some old people and a few families with kids, she was the only one there.

Dina was on her last plane right now. She would land in less than an hour.

Ellie would've brought Dodger to meet her, but dogs weren't allowed in the airport. And she wasn't about to be the kind of asshole who bought a service dog vest off Amazon.

Her leg was doing that stupid fucking thing where it bounced up and down. The Costco bag of Skittles wasn't helping either. She knew her tongue was stained purple by now.

She knew that she wouldn't miss Dina, that she could relax and play BitLife or something, listen to some music. But she couldn't will herself to pull out her phone.

So, she sat and observed the large room, her foot thumping the ground.

Teeth gnawed at her lip, bringing it close to bleeding. She picked at a scab on her hand, wondered if Dina wouldn't like the long scar that snaked her right forearm.

It was a dumb worry, really. Dina wouldn't give a fuck. She hadn't cared during their last video call a week earlier, when she'd cut her hair. She'd complimented her, saying it made her look "like a badass butch bitch". She'd seen the scar, too, just not up close. Ellie's shitty Dell webcam wasn't doing her any favors.

Ellie had never been stylish, or pretty, or possessed intact cuticles, but Dina loved her. Last week, she'd laughed at the smudge of grease on her forehead, and not in a bad way.

Dina was Ellie's. Ellie was Dina's. Neither perfect, but they both loved each other.

The atmosphere in the room had changed. Ellie tilted her head up to look at the bottom of the escalator.

A beautiful, beautiful young woman, with freckles dotting her nose, and black hair pulled back in a uniform bun, was stopped in her tracks.

Ellie's breath hitched.

Her legs autonomously went into standing position.

Then, they began to walk.

Before she knew it, she kicked into a full-blown _run_.

They met halfway, Ellie's arms launching around Dina's neck. Dina began peppering little kisses to the side of Ellie's face, tears soaking their shirts.

"Fuck, I missed you."

"Well, I'm here now."

Joel knew how this was gonna go down. He had plans to go and see a movie that night. Fifteen minutes after Dina and Ellie walked through the door, he'd climb into his truck and drive off.

He saw Ellie's Ford pull into the driveway. Two lesbians very infatuated with one another climbed out, one in a cammie, one in a sweatshirt. They weren't making out yet, and he was surprised at their restraint.

"JOEL! GET THE FUCK DOWN HERE!"

Rolling his eyes, he jogged out of his bedroom and down the stairs. Ellie was standing next to Dina, practically hanging off of her. "Hello, Dina. Did you have a good flight?"

Her eyes grinned at him. "Yeah, it actually wasn't half bad."

He leaned forward and wrapped her in a bear hug. "I'm glad you're back."

Ellie was watching this whole exchange with her mouth open in surprise. "Wow, you're officially the second person Joel has hugged in the past two decades. Congratulations."

A small chuckle escaped his lips, and you could see a smile underneath his beard. "I'm gonna get going. You two have fun now." A small kiss was dropped on Ellie's head, a scratch delivered behind Dodger's ear, and a nod given to Dina. Then, he grabbed his coat and strolled out the door to his truck.

Joel looked in the window for a moment before he drove off. He reminded himself to get more Clorox on his way home.

Ellie was writing on the bed, the sheets twisting in her grip as Dina's mouth worked magic on her neck. Her teeth kept grazing her pulse point just right, sending shudders through her body.

"You really did miss me, huh?" Dina was grinning down at her while she whined and thrust her hips upwards.

" _Please_ , Di."

Slim fingers pulled off most of her apparel, leaving her in a pair of briefs. "I'm gonna take off your socks now, we don't want this to be a "no homo" situation, now do we?"

Ellie's clothes got tossed across the room carelessly, landing far from the hamper. It was fine.

The heel of Dina's hand rubbed up against her underwear, and it left her gasping. "Just take them off," She cried, between labored breathing.

Dina smiled at her. "If the pillow princess insists." Her wet undergarments sailed through the air and bounced off the wall before landing on the floor.

The smirk on her face seemed to make Ellie groan even louder. "Good girl."

A finger entered, and she almost finished right there. Then, a second and a third. She's curling them in just the right way, making Ellie's thighs tremble.

She chose one who knew how to treat a girl, all right.

Before long, she hit her climax and collapsed in a heap. Dina pretty much fell on top of her, and their lips met in a feverish kiss.

After Dina licked her fingers clean, she laid next to Ellie. Her hand found its way into sweaty hair, and she scratched at her scalp. Ellie's eyes slid closed and she and emitted a pleased growl, making Dina laugh.

They just laid there for a while, Ellie snuggling into Dina's side and inhaling her scent of coffee and vanilla and _home_. Dodger eventually decided to pop in, squirming until he sat between them. His tail thumped happily every time Dina cooed at him or stroked his head. God, he was such an attention whore.

After they took a shower (together), and brushed their teeth, they practically dove under the blankets and into the warmth of each other. Their legs tangled together into some lump, and Dina rested her head on Ellie's shoulder. "That was fun."

Ellie smiled. "My favorite part was when you were here."

"I think I wanna get a tattoo."

Ellie watched, carefully, as Dina looked up from whatever dumb mobile game she was playing. She wasn't sure how this would go down. "Okay," Dina said. "When?"

Surprised, Ellie scratched the back of her neck. "Um, this weekend?"

Dina patted the spot on the couch next to her, signaling Ellie to sit. "Do you have a design in mind?"

Scrolling through her camera roll, Ellie handed her phone over. "I asked Jesse if he could make one, and he drew up this, for my right arm. Where the scar is."

It was a beautiful design, one with a moth and two ferns. Jesse had rolled his eyes at all of Ellie's compliments to it, but she could tell that he was proud of his work.

After admiring it for a while, Dina laid down in Ellie's lap. She leaned over and kissed the place where she'd had pins and screws and rods in her arm. "I hope you know that this scar, it doesn't make you weak. It makes you strong. And if you get your tattoo here, please don't do it to hide what you went through. Do it...so that people see it as more than a scar. So they can see it as something like...an update to a journal entry." There's a pause. "I know I'm not a poet, but that's the only way I can really think to describe it."

Ellie just nods, and then they lay there for a while.

Later, after Dina has kissed her a thousand times and gone to sleep, Ellie calls the tattoo shop and schedules an appointment for Saturday.

The morning comes, after some nice Friday night Amazing Sex, and Ellie's alarm blares throughout the room. She doesn't usually set it on weekends, but her appointment's at 10:00. Dina has to wake her up anyways, she sleeps like a fucking rock.

After that, Dina makes some pancakes, and Ellie spills syrup on the table, so they have to wet a rag with warm water and fix it before Joel wakes up. Then, they crack open the chocolate syrup and it explodes onto Ellie's face, prompting Dina to lick it away while Ellie giggles and Dodger barks, so Joel comes downstairs and does a lot of displeased grunting.

They pile into Dina's car, a Subaru that's about falling apart, and take off. The place is about forty-five minutes away, so they have a bit of driving to do. Ellie's brought some of her shitty CDs, the ones she picks up from the bargain bin at the music store. They listen to some folk artist, Shawn James, and Dina says he's the only good musician she's ever found.

Finally, they find a spot and pay for parking, which is ridiculously priced, because Seattle, and walk a few blocks to a small tattoo shop with a pride flag dangling in front. They'd looked for a place in Capitol Hill, just to be safe.

The bell on the door jingled as Dina pushed it open. She wrapped her arm around Ellie and said "Don't worry, I'll take care of it. Just sit down in one of the chairs."

She was so fucking thankful to have somebody like Dina.

A magazine about trucks was sitting on the coffee table, and she flipped it open to a spot on new gear shifting technology. The guy at the front desk had no tattoos or piercings, which was odd. He had a bushy mustache and gray hair slicked back into a nice style. He was probably about sixty, give or take, and wore a Hawaiian shirt that would look ugly on anybody else.

He seemed friendly, chatting it up with Dina, but she got along with pretty much everybody.

After a few minutes, another guy walked into the front room, wiping his hands on a rag, which he then slung over his shoulder. This one was in his mid-fifties, and had a tattoo of four flying birds on the left side of his neck. "Hey, Ellie, right?" She nodded, albeit slowly. "Cool, I'm Sam, and I'll be doing your ink today. It should be about four hours, give or take." He began to walk to the back, but stopped and turned, jerking his head toward Dina. "Your partner can come too if she wants, I don't mind."

Dina, of course, laughs and grasps Ellie's hand. They walk to the chair, together, and Dina has her hand on Ellie's knee the whole time.

They drove home that night, after going out for dinner with Sam and the front desk guy, Sully. Ellie was sure that they usually didn't go on double dates with their customers, but, as usual, Dina's charm couldn't be resisted.

Before her deployment, Ellie probably would've been afraid to get a tattoo. It would've been something she would've never done, probably. Scared of the pain.

She hadn't been frightened, though. She'd been shot, had her head banged against a wall, punched in the face by a Jayden so hard she broke her nose. That needle didn't have shit on her.

Dina pulled off of the highway onto an unfamiliar exit. Ellie frowned. "Where the fuck are we going?"

"Just a little place I know."

It was a small town, close to where Tommy lived. Little buildings, a coffee shop, gas station, some restaurants and bars. Ellie saw one Trump flag and flipped it off.

The truck began to rumble up a dirt road. There weren't any houses, or any structures, to be exact, it was just trees and gravel.

Finally, they came to a clearing. Dina stepped out of the car and circled around to Ellie's door. She opened it up, acting like a personal chauffeur. "After you, m'lady." Her hand was held out, and she clearly meant for Ellie to take it.

So, she did, and her [Vans](https://www.vans.com/customizer.mte-sk8-hi.html?recipe=f999c26f15e2f816d90fda5a3170d57d&icn=customs_pdp) thumped onto the ground. The sun was just setting, and it was beautiful. The whole damn thing.

Dina led her around to the truck bed, where she picked up a blanket. "The grass is wet, but this'll work."

They spread it out, and Ellie let herself flop on top of Dina. Warm hands threaded into her hair, and she snuggled in closer. "God, you sure know how to treat a gay, don't you?"

"Don't you mean 'girl'?"

"No."

Ellie and Dina sat there, staring at the sky and each other until the sun went down.

It had been five years since Ellie returned from Iraq.

Dina had dragged her to the beach, Sebastian in tow. He'd been begging to see the ocean, even though they'd been there countless times already. Ellie didn't blame him, he was only three.

There was a time in her life where she never thought about having children. When Dina asked her if they could apply as foster parents, Ellie only agreed because she thought it would be good to babysit kids until they got to a better place. She couldn't be a mom, with her broken self.

Sebastian was their first foster. He'd come from a home riddled with drugs. Nobody knew where his father was, and his mother was dead from a heroin overdose. He'd been born addicted, and Ellie had no idea why they gave him back to the person who hurt him.

Ellie tried not to associate with him that much for the first two weeks. Until, of course, one day, she picked him up to change a diaper and he grabbed her cheeks with his chubby little hands and looked at her right in the eyes. She had green ones, he had brown, like Dina.

She'd vowed to protect Sebastian from whatever evil that day on.

He loved to make sandcastles and then smash them with a well-placed foot. His round head popped up from whatever structure he'd been building. That face was her other morning sun. Nobody ever said she couldn't have two. "Mama! Come here!"

That hard face Ellie seemed to always have on softened, and her lips turned up in a soft smile. She was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things.
> 
> Chris Evans, please don't sue me, your dog is just so fucking cute and I spent hours looking for pictures of puppies on Google Images, and alas, yours was the only one I could settle on. You should be flattered.
> 
> If you're wondering why Sebastian got returned to his mother even after he was born addicted to heroin, read up on the Gabriel Fernandez case. The whole system is fucking broken and it's awful.
> 
> Did I make Ellie custom Vans? Yes. She deserves them.
> 
> I feel like if Sam did something that wouldn't get the cops coming after him (sam drake, not henry's brother), it would be tattooing. Because in the eyes of most adults, my parents included, it's one of the closest things to illegal shit that isn't actually against the law.
> 
> If ya'll would like it, I'd be glad to write some one-shots in this AU, of Ellie and Dina and Dodger and Sebastian. Just comment what you'd like.
> 
> Please, please please, don't comment spoilers. Yes, moderation is on, but I still have to look through them, and I won't be able to play the game until the 22nd. I'll turn moderation off mid-July, probably.
> 
> God, I worked so damn hard on this, you've got no idea. I can never seem to stick to a multi-chapter story, and this is the first one I've ever done on AO3.
> 
> Thank you so much for sticking with me, it means the world, really.
> 
> Don't let the moderation scare you, leave comments! Constructive criticism is always appreciated. Or just tell me what you ate for lunch. I like food.


End file.
